Online Extras

The fab fiveLake Erie Speedway enters the first season in its 12-year history without Late Models. Here are the divisions that will run in 2013:- Modifieds- Street Stocks- Legends- Compacts- Bandoleros

Nothing has changed with Lake Erie Speedway's business plan, even though the number of classes have changed.

Track officials have dropped Late Models, which once was the premier division at LES and at other asphalt tracks outside of the Erie region but have faced dwindling car counts in recent years. While the Late Models struggled at LES, five other classes moved more and more into the spotlight.

All five classes had an increased role in the track's advertising, marketing and promotional campaign the past few seasons. All five had the opportunity to headline shows. All five had the opportunity to close out events as the feature class.

"It's been our most successful years," said Branden Kaczay, LES executive vice president of business operations.

Now with the Late Models gone for at least this season, the Modifieds, Street Stocks, Legends, Compacts and Bandoleros will move to the forefront. LES won't miss a beat either, Kaczay said, because of the track's previous success.

"It's business as usual moving forward," he said, "(because we're) showing them for what they are -- equally as competitive and equally as exciting, and in some cases, more exciting. We want to highlight them equally because each of them is important to the overall formula of Lake Erie Speedway."

There once was a time when short tracks needed to feature a headline division to attract strong crowds to events.

That was back in the 1980s and '90s, Kaczay said. These days, equality is the key to success in racing.

"Anyone that believes the opposite is absolutely clueless of the industry," he said.

"There's no top division," he said. "Each division in its own right earns its right to be on track and bring fans for their own reasons."

Super Late Models remain the kings of dirt around the Erie region.

"It's your top class," Eriez Speedway owner Bob Rohrer said. "Normally it's your best drivers. They're just fast to begin with. They're twice as fast as the other cars. They're very competitive, all of them."

Those tracks have enjoyed consistent success with that approach, even though Rohrer said purses average around $9,000 to $10,000. Tracks need big crowds to afford those large purses to Super Late Model drivers. Without the Super Late Models, tracks won't attract those big crowds.

Rohrer said he recalled crowds thinning out at Raceway 7 when former owner Ron Neilson dropped Super Late Models from the weekly shows at the Conneaut, Ohio, dirt track.

"Everybody you talk to, they come to watch the Super Lates," Rohrer said. "It's not boring to watch."

That's fine for the dirt tracks, Kaczay said. But LES has the right plan in place for the track.

"A lot of us promoters need to realize blood, sweat and tears go (into racing) no matter what division it's called and what label you (put on) it," Kaczay said. "These people are working hard. They've got large investments. I want everyone to be on an equal playing field (and) to get their time to shine."